Showing my Crazy Side

Oh boy.  Boy oh boy.  I just want to say that I truly believe that Covid is pouring light into all that is disfunctional.  My heart hurts from all the pain humans are enduring right now.  This blog isn't about politics or anything of any weight,  it's a place to just share and I hope inspire, but I would like to say that we are all humans, we all need to treat each other like the brothers and sisters we are.  In the end you are me, I am you and so on.  I will continue to lite my candles for humanity, fairness and healing.

And,  I am encouraging you to send out positive healing energy to Mother Earth and all that inhabits her.  Blessed Be.

I wasn't sure if I was going to do a post today, then I thought maybe sharing something that brings me happiness might brighten your day too! 

The garden is my happy place so let's start there.
When I took my camera around the garden yesterday, I heard this loud humming and I knew I was in the proximity of a HUMMINGBIRD.  I have tried previously to catch her photo but she is usually too fast. Even this photo she is blurry from her speed! 

Thank you Hummingbird for showing up!

A full view of our Horse Chestnut Tree, the hummingbird magnet!

So quickly a garden seems to leaf out.  It seems like almost over night everything buds and blooms.  It's amazing to me that it sits dormant through a treacherous winter and then ...wow!
Well that happened in my garden.  Everywhere, well almost everywhere except for this poor little Maple.  The winter and spring refreezing must have been too much.  Sorry little tree.

I had to remove her and heaven forbid I have an empty corner!! So I transplanted some Lilac shoots that were travelling through the back fence.  I'm hoping that they fill this corner and if they travel out a bit I'll try contain them.  No worries, I'd rather have to tame an over grown corner then have an empty corner.  One gardener I follow said " find what thrives and plant lots of it"  So I have.  Fingers crossed these guys survive this spot.  Third times the charm...right?  I also had some Hostas growing in behind a tree in another corner. Hidden, so out they came and I think they should be happy here until I find a better spot.

This is the mother Lilac the shoots came from, smells so good.

I have grass pathways and it's fairly easy to keep them mowed and contained, but due to my over planting I can imagine this becoming a grass-less garden one day.

Now for the CrAzY part.

A few posts ago I shared with you the afghan that I was making.  I loved it.  Still love it, buttttttt, the colours are just too loud for me.  I actually don't even know what it is, but it just didn't work in our front room.  My youngest daughter loved it and wanted me to make her one too. Sooo, I decided to give her this one and make another one with a different colour scheme for me.

These colours looked great together, but as I started the patches I realised the light blue wasn't working and it needed a bit more depth.  I didn't take a picture, but I added a burnt pumpkin and a turquoise colour to the mix.  LOVE IT.

I swore I wasn't going to make this until the winter because it becomes my focus, my only focus, and that's my crazy side. Once I decide I want to change something it has to happen now. Right now.  I started it the Saturday before last, almost two weeks ago I have three more rows of nine left to crochet and I can start pulling it together. 

I think Yzerman likes them...

I hope you stay safe, and healthy.

Until next time, Abby.

End of May in the Garden

Hello! So glad you stopped by!  

It's been another busy week.  

First I wanted to share my garden, it has really filled up in the last week, so here we go...

More of the Alliums and Tulips have bloomed, Lamb's Ear, Columbine, and on the other side of this little bed there should be a Peony blooming in a few weeks.  I don't think it has bloomed for me- ever.  I moved it at a very young age and I don't think it has forgiven me yet.  The buds form but never open.  If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears.

Looking across and down to the bottom of our garden you can see the Peony getting bigger.  Hostas are just making an appearance now.  I always think I lost them through the winter and then, all of a sudden, there they are.  Hostas are another one of my favourite, hard working plants. I have no idea which is which and some were gifts.  

Heuchera or Coral Bells behind the tulips. 

Looking down to the bottom of the garden Salvia Nepeta can be seen bottom right of the above picture.  If you want bees in your garden, or pollinators I highly recommend this hardy ever blooming plant.

It flowers from June unto the fall. 

Blooms from my Horse Chestnut tree. It  can get big in height, and I hope it does.  The blooms attract bees and hummingbirds. They are just way to fast for me to catch a picture. 

This guy came and posed for me! So busy at work.

Yzerman patrolling the garden.  

Lilac bush in bloom behind the Spirea.

I've planted Amaranthus through out the garden.  I ordered seeds and started them earlier this spring inside.

Dogwood and Creeping Jenny behind more tulips.

A bleeding heart I thought I lost a few years ago, has made a return appearance.

Looking back up the garden.  

This little guy getting the last of the pollen from the Amur Cherry blossoms.

This is up on our patio, I didn't get a chance to create my succulent arrangements yet.  When I do, I will share them with you.  

I'm not sure what this one is, I have had her for about 4 years.  She goes on a window sill in the basement for winter and comes out for the summer months once the weather warms.

 

I know, this isn't your typical succulent presentation, but I love it. 

And isn't that what gardening is.... your creation, your interpretation, yours.

I hope you are having a wonderful day, maybe even getting into some dirt! 

Until next time, Abby.

Tulips in Bloom,

Morning!  Yesterday we had a beautiful morning. I managed to take a few photos of where our garden is at before it changes again. It's a small garden and I want a lot from it. Herbs, veggies, fruit, flowers, privacy, water feature....and of course refuge.

Plants are filling out.

Last winter was a tough one. I lost a new little tree we planted last spring and some plants.  My Mock Orange for instance, had a lot of die back this winter.  Every spring this guy struggles, any suggestions? 

May long weekend and the ground is ready for all my baby seedlings to be planted.  This year I am putting  more thought into the planning part of the process, and a bit more selective with the plants that stay. Also, reseeding the patchy grass from winter and Yzerman...it's an on going process.

Usually the trees are covered in honey bees, or pollinators, but not this year. I did manage to catch a photo of this bumble bee in action.  I'm try to get a photo of the hummingbird that visits this tree too, she is just too darn quick!

Clearly I have a lot of work to do.  Lots of clean up, planting and edging, but if I wait until it's perfectly photo ready, there wouldn't be any pictures.  I do hope you enjoyed the quick garden tour anyways.

Mother's Day weekend was a lot of fun.  We packed a lunch and we spent an afternoon quading.
We got to enjoy two of our three daughters.

My husband checking out the bike he just rebuilt. He says it still needs some tweaking.

Sometimes I take my camera and take photos. Does that look like a heart to you too?

The next afternoon we painted rocks.  First Shayla sprayed painted them a flat black as a base.  When they were dry we drew a few lines with chalk as a template, then dotted them up with paint and the end of a paint brush.

The chalk will be wiped off and then I think I'll seal them with a top coat.

Lot's of fun to make, and all the supplies we had at home. The welcome rock will go at the front door and the other two will be in planters around the garden or on the deck.

I hope you are well and are finding joy in every day.
Until next time, Abby